NAIDOC Week is an annual week-long celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements in the first week of July every year (Sunday to Sunday). In 2024, NAIDOC Week is 7 – 14 July.
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme of ‘Keep the Fire Burning: Blak, Loud and Proud’ points us to the important opportunity to reflect on the strength of First Nations leadership and ways we can all be involved in keeping the fire burning for justice, truth and hope. It also “celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.” NAIDOC Week Committee
As we approach 2024 NAIDOC Week celebrations in this post-Voice referendum year we hold to the call in Hebrews 10:23-25 to consider how we can spur one another onto love and good deeds in our communities.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 23-25
We are inspired by the resilience and tenacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Their encouragement to not give up, to engage, and join their efforts to bring urgent change through justice, truth-telling, treaty and genuine relationship. Non-Indigenous Australians can support by showing up, by listening, learning, and amplifying First Nations voices – this is how we add logs to the fire. May we take actions together to keep the flame of justice, truth and hope burning so all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, now and into the future, are safe, free and flourishing.
As we celebrate this year we also acknowledge the Woomera Sovereign Embassy, their fight for justice and freedom across Queensland, and their calls since 2012 to ‘Keep the Fire Burning’.
This NAIDOC Week join us in this important opportunity to engage and celebrate with your local community, connect with your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and reflect on the role non-Indigenous community have to stand in solidarity to keep the fire burning – resourcing, equipping and creating space to encourage First Nations people to be blak, loud and proud.
We Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years.
We Acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation.
Prayer of the Aboriginal People
Father of All, You gave us the dreaming, You have spoken to us through our beliefs, You then made Your love clear to us in the person of Jesus.
We thank you for your care. You own us you are our hope. Make us strong as we face the problems of change.
We ask you to help the people of Australia to listen to us and respect our culture.
Make the knowledge of you grow strong in all people, So that you can be at home in us and we can make a home for everyone in our land.
Amen